Not just what and how, but why!
What is the difference between a fairy tale and a firehouse tale? Fairy tales generally begin with once upon a time, while firehouse tales begin with you wouldn’t believe what happened last shift and no, this really happened. This post begins with a firehouse tale. A crew of firefighters advances a 1 1/2″ (45 mm) … Read more
In 2007, twenty firefighters in North America lost their lives due to extreme fire behavior while engaged in interior structural firefighting operations. The United States Fire Administration Report 2007 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States and the NFPA Report Firefighter Fatalities in the United States-2007 provide analysis of firefighter fatalities that occurred during this year. … Read more
In the Grading the Fireground on a Curve, published in the September issue of Firehouse magazine, Battalion Chief Mark Emery warned of the hazards of assuming that limited volume and velocity of visible smoke indicates a growth stage fire. He correctly identified that compartment fires may enter the decay phase as fuel is consumed or … Read more
Firefighter survival skills, MAYDAY, and rapid intervention training have received a great deal of emphasis over the last several years. These skills are critical. Firefighters must react correctly when faced with a breathing apparatus malfunction, structural collapse, or extreme fire behavior event. However, the most effective approach to survival is to prevent or reduce the … Read more
Previous posts examined key factors and initial company operations at a residential fire involving flashover that resulted in multiple firefighter injuries at a residential fire in Loudoun County, Virginia. This post will examine the action taken by the trapped firefighters and crews on the exterior. Reserve Engine 6 was performing fire attack on Floor 2 … Read more
My last post provided an overview of the factors influencing the occurrence of flashover and multiple firefighter injuries at a residential fire in Loudoun County Virginia identified in the report released by Loudoun County Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Management. Let’s look at the events that occurred from the time of dispatch until flashover occurred. Loudoun … Read more
Earlier this month the Loudoun County Department of Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Management releases a report flashover in a single family dwelling which resulted in injury to six firefighters and one EMS provider. Four firefighters received serous burn injuries, two sustained other traumatic injuries, and the EMS provider experienced minor respiratory distress. This extremely detailed … Read more